Means mounted on a bowstring tensioning device for releasably holding a bowstring

ABSTRACT

An improved trigger release device for a longbow includes a bracket pivotally mounted on the bow handle and supporting a pair of rods having sliding fits in a pair of guide sleeves so that the rods are parallel with an arrow fitted to the bow on opposite sides of the arrow. A yoke connects the rods in front of the bow handle, and a trigger device connects the rods rearward of the bowstring. The yoke is latched to the bracket near the handle to hold the rods and the trigger device in a full-draw position for trigger release of the arrow, and a latch holds the bracket to the handle in an operating position and allows the bracket, rods, and trigger device to be pivoted to the region of one of the bow limbs for easier storage of the device.

United States Patent 1191 Kellogg [4 1 July 22,1975

1 1 MEANS MOUNTED ON A BOWSTRING TENSIONING DEVICE FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING A BOWSTRING [76] Inventor: Warren H. Kellogg, 290 Stony Brook Rd., Rush, NY. 14534 [22] Filed: July 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 486,445

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne Attorney, Agent, or FirmGeorge W. Shaw 5 7 ABSTRACT An improved trigger release device for a longbow includes a bracket pivotally mounted on the bow handle and supporting a pair of rods having sliding fits in a pair of guide sleeves so that the rods are parallel with an arrow fitted to the bow on opposite sides of the arrow. A yoke connects the rods in front of the bow handle, and a trigger device connects the rods rearward of the bowstring. The yoke is latched to the bracket near the handle to hold the rods and the trigger device in a full-draw position for trigger release of the arrow, and a latch holds the bracket to the handle in an operating position /and allows the bracket, rods, and trigger device to be pivoted to the region of one of the bow limbs for easier storage of the device.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL22 ms 3.895521 sum 1 FIG. l.

PATENTEDJUL 22 I975 3,895521 SHEET 2 'IIIIIIIW C.

it IEANS MOUNTED ON A BOWSTRING TENSIONING DEVICE FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING A BOWSTRING THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT There have been several suggestions for trigger release devices for longbows. Such devices have been generally cumbersome and heavy if they are made strong enough to withstand the stresses involved, and once they are attached to a bow, they make the bow difficult to store. The invention involves recognition of a better way to arrange a trigger release device on a longbow so that it can be made lighter in weight and yet is strong and well balanced and reliable. The invention also includes realization of a way that a trigger release device for a longbow can be pivotally mounted to swing out toward the path of one of the bow limbs for easier storage. The invention aims at simplicity, convenience, ease of operation, reliable action, and general efficiency and economy in a lightweight, well-balanced trigger release device for a longbow. 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive trigger release device applies to a longbow having bow limbs, a bowstring, a handle with a centerline arrow rest, and a cocking device including a bowstring release trigger. It includes a support bracket mounted on the handle for pivoting between operating and storage positions, and a pair of guide sleeves on the support bracket are substantially equally spaced from the arrow rest on opposite sides of the arrow rest. A pair of rods have respective sliding fits in the guide sleeves so that when the bracket is in operating position and an arrow is fitted to the bow, the rods extend parallel with the arrow on opposite sides of the arrow and substantially equally spaced from the arrow. A yoke couples the rods forward of the handle. and a trigger device couples the rods rearward of the bowstring and carries the trigger for holding and releasing the bowstring. A latch latches the yoke to the bracket to hold the rods and trigger device in a full-draw position, and another latch latches the bracket to the handle to hold the rods and the trigger device in the operating posi- IiOll.

DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side-elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention applied to a longbow that is strung but not drawn;

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of the device of FIG. I latched in the full-drawn position;

FIG. 3 is a side-elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 pivoted to the storage position,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary front elevational view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 5 taken along the line 66 thereof;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 6 taken along the line 77 thereof; and

FIG. 8 is a partially cut-away elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a trigger device for use with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. I-4 show a preferred embodiment of the inventive trigger release device applied to a longbow 10 having an upper bow limb II and a lower bow limb 12 secured to a handle 13 and having a bowstring 14. A bracket 16 on handle 13 supports a pair of guide sleeves 17 in which a pair of rods 18 have a sliding fit. A yoke 19 connects the forward ends of rods 18, and rods 18 are free to move axially between the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Yoke 19 latches to bracket 16 in the full-draw position shown in FIG. 2, and an arrow 20 is fitted to the bowstring and released by trigger device 15. When this happens, bowstring 14 snaps toward handle 13 and travels between rods 18 to cast the arrow 20 over a centerline arrow rest 21 (FIG. 5) on handle 13. To store the device, yoke 19 is latched to bracket 16 which is then pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 3 to move trigger device 15 to the region of upper bow limb 1 1 with rods 18 extending along the general direction of bow limb 11. This makes the device convenient for storage.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, bracket 16 is mounted on a pivot pin 22 to fit into a groove 23 in handle 13 in the operating position shown in FIG. 6. A latch- 24 best shown in FIG. 7 latches bracket 16 in place in groove 23 by fitting in hole 25 of a keyholeshaped slot 26 in bracket 16. A spring 27 around shaft 28 biases push button 29 outward relative to sleeve; 30 to bring latching head 31 into hole 25 to hold bracket 16 in place, and if push button 29 is pressed inward to compress spring 27, this moves shaft 28 axially and moves latching head 31 out of slot 23 and into a recess 32 releasing bracket 16 for pivotal motion because keyhole slot 26 is free to pass over shaft 28. To move bracket 16 into operating position, push button 29 is depressed andbracket 16 is pivoted into slot 23 and push button 29 is released to hold bracket 16 in place with locking head 31. The process is reversed to release bracket 16 for pivoting to the storage position of FIG.

The latch for connecting yoke 19 to bracket 16 is a trigger lever 33 mounted on pivot 34 on bracket 16 and having a hook arm 35 biased upward by spring 36 to engage a latch rod 37 on yoke 19. Hook 35 has a cam surface 38 so that as yoke 19 is pushed or pulled into the full-draw position, latch bar 37 rides over hook 35 and is automatically latched by hook 35. Release of the full-draw position is accomplished by pulling on trigger lever 33 to release book 35.

Trigger device 15, which interconnects the rods 18 on the belly side of the bow, has a housing 39 and a pistol grip handle 40 with a trigger guard 41 and a trigger lever 42 mounted on a pivot 43. It includes a safety pin 44, a bias spring 45, and a hook 46 holding a bowstring release clevis 47 such as shown in my previous Patent, No. 2,815,016. Housing 39 has a slot 48 extending from the forward end back to release clevis 47 which holds bowstring 14. Housing 39 also has an opening 49 for receiving the knock of arrow 20 which fits through a slot opening 50 in clevis 47 and over bowstring 14. When trigger lever 42 is pulled, hook 46 releases clevis 47 which pivots to release the bowstring which snaps away from trigger device 15 to cast the arrow.

In operation, bowstring 14 is threaded into release clevis 47 and safety 44 is applied to hold bowstring 14 securely in place. Then by pushing, pulling, and by using hands or feet in various motions, bow handle 13 is moved relatively forward on rods 18 until yoke 19 latches to bracket 16 in the full-draw position shown in FIG. 2. This can be accomplished by pushing on trigger device with a foot while hands pull the bow handle outward on rods 18, or it can be done with the arms by holding handle 13 with one hand and pulling back on trigger device 15 with the other hand. Also, yoke 19 can be rested on the ground, and trigger device 15 pulled upwardly while handle 13 is pushed downwardly.

After setting the bow in the full-draw position of FIG. 2, arrow is placed on arrow rest 21 and its knock is inserted through openings 49 and 50 and fitted onto bowstring 14. Then the bow is raised in the usual way, aimed, and when trigger lever 42 is pulled, the bowstring is released to cast the arrow. Then latch trigger lever 33 is pulled to release yoke 19 from bracket 16, and rods 18 and trigger device 15 are slid forward for rethreading bowstring l4 and trigger device 15. The process is then repeated for the next shot.

Arranging rods 18 parallel with arrow 20 on opposite sides of arrow 20 and equally spaced from arrow 20 evenly distributes the tension load between rods 18 and allows them to be made of a lightweight construction. Arrow rest 21 is on the centerline of the bow either by an opening or side notch in handle 13 so that arrow 20 is cast straight forward in alignment with bowstring 14. The inventive device is simply adapted for right-hand and left-hand archers by simply changing the side for the opening to arrow rest 21 in handle 13 and reversing the action of safety pin 44. Handle 13 can also have a central opening including an arrow rest and this accommodates either right-hand or left-hand archers.

Handle 13 can be shaped in various ways and formed of various materials, and bow limbs 11 and 12 can also be formed in various generally known ways and suitably connected to handle 13. Also, different latching devices can be used for latching bracket 16 to handle 13 and for latching yoke 20 to bracket 16 and other trigger devices can be used to hold and release bowstring 14. The entire device can be formed of a few pounds of material, but all the stress on the structure and the weight of the device itself is well balanced so that although the bow is slightly heavier, the archers task is easier, because the bow does not have to be manually held at'full draw. Greater accuracy is possible because the archer has more time to take a steady aim, and can aim better without having the muscular strain of drawing the bow as the shot is made. The device is also compact and easily stored so that the bow is not cumbersome.

I claim:

1. In a longbow having bow limbs, a bowstring, a handle with a centerline arrow rest, and a cocking device, the improvement comprising:

a. a bracket supporting said cocking device and mounted on said handle and including means for pivoting said cocking device between an operating position generally transverse to said bow limbs and a storage position generally alongside one of said bow limbs;

b. latch means for latching said bracket to said handle in said operating position; and

c. said cocking device including:

1. a pair of guide sleeves on said bracket substantially equally spaced from said arrow rest on opposite sides of said arrow rest;

2. a pair of rods having respective sliding fits in said guide sleeves so that when said bracket is in said operating position with said bow limbs upright and an arrow is fitted to said bow, said rods extending parallel with a nocked arrow and horizontally positioned on opposite-sides of a nocked arrow and substantially equally spaced from a nocked arrow when said bow is in a normal upright position for use;

3. a yoke interconnecting said rods on the back side of said limbs;

4. a trigger device interconnecting said rods on the belly side of the bow and rearwardly of the bowstring for holding and releasing said bowstring; and

5. releasable latch means for latching said yoke to said bracket to hold said rods and said trigger device in a full-draw position.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said yoke is latched to said bracket in said storage position.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said means for latching said yoke to said bracket includes a fingeroperated release.

4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said means for latching said bracket to said handle includes a push button release.

5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said handle 7 has a slot receiving said bracket in said operating position, and said means for latching said bracket to said button release. 

1. In a longbow having bow limbs, a bowstring, a handle with a centerline arrow rest, and a cocking device, the improvement comprising: a. a bracket supporting said cocking device and mounted on said handle and including means for pivoting said cocking device between an operating position generally transverse to said bow limbs and a storage position generally alongside one of said bow limbs; b. latch means for latching said bracket to said handle in said operating position; and c. said cocking device including:
 1. a pair of guide sleeves on said bracket substantially equally spaced from said arrow rest on opposite sides of said arrow rest;
 2. a pair of rods having respective sliding fits in said guide sleeves so that when said bracket is in said operating position with said bow limbs upright and an arrow is fitted to said bow, said rods extending parallel with a nocked arrow and horizontally positioned on opposite sides of a nocked arrow and substantially equally spaced from a nocked arrow when said bow is in a normal upright position for use;
 3. a yoke interconnecting said rods on the back side of said limbs;
 4. a trigger device interconnecting said rods on the belly side of the bow and rearwardly of the bowstring for holding and releasing said bowstring; and
 5. releasable latch means for latching said yoke to said bracket to hold said rods and said trigger device in a fulldraw position.
 2. a pair of rods having respective sliding fits in said guide sleeves so that when said bracket is in said operating position with said bow limbs upright and an arrow is fitted to said bow, said rods extending parallel with a nocked arrow and horizontally positioned on opposite sides of a nocked arrow and substantially equally spaced from a nocked arrow when said bow is in a normal upright position for use;
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said yoke is latched to said bracket in said storage position.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said means for latching said yoke to said bracket includes a finger-operated release.
 3. a yoke interconnecting said rods on the back side of said limbs;
 4. a trigger device interconnecting said rods on the belly side of the bow and rearwardly of the bowstring for holding and releasing said bowstring; and
 4. The iMprovement of claim 1 wherein said means for latching said bracket to said handle includes a push-button release.
 5. releasable latch means for latching said yoke to said bracket to hold said rods and said trigger device in a full-draw position.
 5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said handle has a slot receiving said bracket in said operating position, and said means for latching said bracket to said handle includes a latch pin transverse to said slot.
 6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said yoke is latched to said bracket in said storage position.
 7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein said means for latching said yoke to said bracket includes a finger-operated release.
 8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein said means for latching said bracket to said handle includes a push-button release. 